Combination hairbrush-applicator



L. A. ODENCE Oct. 22, 1968 COMBINATION HAIBBRUSH-APPLICATOR Filed June 23, 196* R m E N c E N v M m 0 N O E L w 5 2 x a 5 2 2 A inn A r 4 ll l Ill 6 l H a ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,406,694 COMBINATION HAIRBRUSH-APPLICATOR Leon A. Odence, 303C Faller Drive, New Milford, NJ. 07646 Filed June 23, 1965, Ser. No. 466,323 1'Claim. (Cl. 132-85) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination hairbrush and hairspray applicator wherein the hairbrush comprises an upper bristle portion and a hollowed out handle portion, in which handle is received a container of hair spray. The hair spray is actuated digitally by means of an opening in the handle portion of the hairbrush.

The present invention relates to a hairbrush-applicator used to apply dressing to hair and to groom hair simultaneously.

Hair dressing and hair treating compositions such as tonics, medication, tinting solutions, and setting solutions, have commonly been applied to the scalp and hair by manual squeeze applications and by spraying. Such methods suffer from various defects; those that are relatively clean, such as spraying, do not provide sufiicient intimate contact with the scalp and hair; and those methods that provide such contact, are generally messy.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple and efiicient combination hairbmsh-applicator with which liquid may be applied to the hair and thoroughly brushed into the hair in a single continuous operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part become apparent from the accompanying drawing and the detailed description in connection with the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the combination hairbrush-applicator held in the right hand of the user;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view through lines 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view through lines 33 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of a modified embodiment of the hairbrush-applicator.

The combined hairbrush-applicator 1 has a lower handle portion 2 and an upper bristle portion 3 with bristles 4 extending out from the face of bristle portion 3. The handle portion 2 contains a pressurized cartridge 5. In the embodiment illustrated, cartridge 5 is fitted into a hollowed out portion of handle 2 and held therein by a metal ring spring 12, which is molded into the wall 13 of the handle portion 2.

The combination hairbrush-applicator 1 is particularly characterized by having the nozzle 7 of the cartridge 5 spaced relatively closely to the bristles 4. Although proximity of the nozzle 7 to the bristles 4 is desired, it is also desired that the nozzle 7 be spaced from the bristles 4 a sufiicient distance so that the spray 8, during application, is directed to the head of the user and not directed onto the bristles 4. The pressurized cartridge 5 has a pushbutton head 6 which is a convenient means of actuating the emission of spray through nozzle 7.

In the embodiment of the combination hairbrush-applicator 1 illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the pushbutton head 6 is manually depressed by the forefinger of the person using the applicator. The lower portion 2 of the hairbrush-applicator 1 is held in the hand of the person with the forefinger extending through an opening 9 which extends from the back of the applicator 1 to the space 9 above the pushbutton head.

The modified embodiment of the combination hair- 3,406,694 Patented Oct. 22, 1968 brush-applicator 1 illustrated in FIGURE 4 differs in that the pushbutton head 26 is depressed by a lever 24 rather than by direct application of the finger of the user. Referring particularly to FIGURE 4, the lower handle portion 22 contains a pressurized cartridge 25 held therein by clip 32. The pressurized cartridge 25 has a pushbutton head 26 which when depressed causes spray to be emitted through nozzle 27. Pushbutton head 26 is depressed by downward pressure on the lever surface 29 of lever 24 which is hinged on pivot 25. Downward pressure on the lever surface 29 causes downward rotation of lever 24 resulting in transmittal of the downward motion to pushbutton head 26 by contact of pushbutton head 26 with the cam-like undersurface 28 of lever 24. When using the lever which extends through an opening in the wall 33 of handle 22, there is no need for an opening through the back of the handle corresponding to space 9 in the embodiment of FIGURES l and 2.

It is apparent that the pressurized cartridge 5 may be incorporated into the handle 2 in somewhat difierent fashion than that illustrated. The handle 2 might be a completely encased hollow handle having an opening through which the finger can touch the pushbutton head 6, an aperture corresponding to the nozzle so that the spray may be emitted, and a screw opening at the bottom sufliciently large to permit entry of the cartridge.

The upper bristle portion 3 and the lower handle portion 2 of the combination of hairbrush-applicator 1 are preferably an integral plastic molded article. Conventional plastics such as the polyacrylics, phenolics, etc., may be used. The hairbrush-applicator 1 may also be constructed of wood or metal. The bristles 4 may be natural bristles or one of the synthetics such as nylon.

The operation of the hairbrush-applicator 1 is illustrated by the application of a hair setting material which is prepared as an aerosol and packaged in cartridge 5. The hairbrush-applicator 1 is held over a selected portion of the users head with the bristles 4 touching or close to the hair. The pushbutton head 6 is depressed by the forefinger and the aerosol setting composition emitted through nozzle 7 as a spray 8 which applies the setting composition to the hair in a position just below the bristles 4 in the direction of the handle 2. The applicator 1 is moved in the direction of the handle 2 so that the bristles 4 contact the portion of the hair to which the spray 8 has been applied immediately after such application. This motion may be continuous in one direction or varied with rotary motion. In all cases, the direction of movement is such that the bristles contact and treat the hair immediately after the spray has been applied.

While the hairbrush-applicator has been described in detail for an article having bristles, it is apparent that other hair arranging devices may be employed in place of the bristles. These include resilient plastics of various degrees of stitfness, ranging from the extreme flexibility of bristles to the relatively stifi spikes useful as teeth in a comb.

The combination hairbrush-applicator 1 of the present invention provides a number of advantages over prior methods of applying liquid compositions to hair. Dependent upon the amount of force used in applying the brushing, the compositions may be lightly applied to the hair, or may be thoroughly brushed into the scalp by vigorous movement of the bristle portion of the brush. By controlling the positioning and direction of the spray so that it is applied to the hair just away from the bristles, the bristles do not directly receive the spray and are thus maintained in a clean condition.

Although the invention has been described with reference to only specific embodiments, it is to be understood that variations thereof may be adopted without departing from its spirit or scope.

:V' 7 cam tisclaimsdi LL-t 1. A combination plastic hairbrush-applicator comprising a hairbrush having an :upper bristle portion and a tr idge in said hollowed out portion;

lower handle portion, said handle portion having a holeferences Cited lowed-tout portion with a pressurized cartridge having a 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS discharge nozzle through which the cartridge contents are 7 3 1 I I? I v sprayed positioned therein; the nozzle of said cartridge 2 being spaced from said bristle portion by an opening in a au said handle portion through which a finger may be in- 7 v serted to actuate said nozzle, said lower handle portion 10 LOUIS Primary-Examiner also having a, metal clip embedded in' the wall of said J-W- MITCHELL, ASSlSlalit Exgminer. 

